Generals Receive Nine First Place Votes

FOREST, Va. --- Washington and Lee University has won seven straight conference titles, and the league's coaches see the Generals as the favorite to add to that number with W&L leading the ODAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll. Washington and Lee earned nine first place votes on the way to a chart-topping 91 points. Randolph-Macon College picked up the remaining top nod towards 72 points to sit in second. Just two points separate Roanoke College and Lynchburg College for third, with the Maroons receiving 62 points.

The Generals registered 33 goals between victories in the ODAC Tournament semifinals and finals, capturing an ODAC record 17th title. W&L topped Roanoke, 17-8, in the semifinals, setting up a third straight meeting with Randolph-Macon for the conference hardware. The Yellow Jackets defeated Lynchburg, 17-7, to punch its ticket to the final. Washington and Lee scored early and often against R-MC, notching the game's first six goals on the way to a 10-1 halftime advantage and ultimately a 16-3 triumph.

Washington and Lee continued its season in the NCAA Division III Tournament, traveling to Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., for early round play. The Generals squared off with the University of Mount Union (Ohio) and saw the Purple Raiders open an 8-2 lead by the intermission. W&L turned the tides in the second half with an eight-goal outburst of its own, but UMU scored three times to pull out an 11-10 win.

ODAC fans will have plenty of familiar stars to follow with 23-of-39 All-ODAC standouts returning to conference rosters in 2017. Bridgewater College features a league-best four all-conference returners, including one of the seven athletes who picked up All-ODAC First Team honors in goalkeeper Rachel Gruber. 

Both Randolph-Macon and Washington and Lee feature two first teamers. The Yellow Jackets benefit from the 1-2 scoring punch of ODAC goals scored leader Alicia Hsieh and conference assists champion Alex Lightfoot. The Generals welcome back playmaking midfielder Haley Tucker, who earned ODAC Rookie of the Year honors, and defender Parker Hamill.

The remaining first team athlete wears Roanoke colors. Defender Emma Boris returns to spearhead the Hornets back line.

The 2017 season begins with non-conference play on Saturday, February 11.  The first set of ODAC contests are slated for Wednesday, March 22.   If you can't make it to the games, be sure to check the schedules online for live video, audio and statistical links.

Listed below is the complete 2017 ODAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll as well as preview capsules for each of the ODAC women's lacrosse programs.  For more information on ODAC women's lacrosse, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and odacathletics on Instagram.

*Save % and GAA noted for 2016 returning starter; if two keepers qualified for leaders, top values shown

2017 Poll Position: 6th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 9-9/4-4 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #6 Seed/Eliminated in quarterfinals Head Coach: Colleen Shearer Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Rachel Gruber (GK)   Second Team: Claire Palermo-Re (A), Kayla O'Sullivan (D)   Third Team: Anna O'Hara (M) Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 62 (6) -- Claire Palermo-Re   Goals: 25 -- Anna O'Hara   Assists: 40 (2) -- Claire Palermo-Re   Ground Balls: 36 -- Anna O'Hara   Draw Controls: 52 (7) -- Anna O'Hara   Caused Turnovers: 19 -- Kayla O'Sullivan   Saves: 172 (2) -- Rachel Gruber   Save Pct.: .541 (1) -- Rachel Gruber   Goals-Against-Avg.: 9.73 (4) -- Rachel Gruber		2017 Poll Position: 3rd 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 9-9/6-3 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #4 Seed/Eliminated in Semifinals Head Coach: Mary Schwartz Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Emma Boris (D)   Second Team: Courtney McCartin (A)   Third Team: Julia Galanto (D) Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 72 (4) -- Courtney McCartin   Goals: 35 -- Courtney McCartin   Assists: 37 (5) -- Courtney McCartin   Ground Balls: 45 (6) -- Emma Boris   Draw Controls: 28 -- Katie Clements   Caused Turnovers: 34 (2) -- Emma Boris   Saves: 70 -- Emma Blair   Save Pct.: .429 (8) -- Victoria Smith   Goals-Against-Avg.: 11.49 (8) -- Victoria Smith
2017 Poll Position: 7th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 7-10/5-4 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #5 Seed/Eliminated in quarterfinals Head Coach: Sarah Lamphier Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: Sammi Milbourn (D)   Third Team: Amanda Dionne (A), Demming Carlow (M) Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 57 (9) -- Amanda Dionne   Goals: 46 (6) -- Amanda Dionne   Assists: 11 -- Demming Carlow/Amanda Dionne   Ground Balls: 41 -- Carter MacLeod   Draw Controls: 47 (9) -- Amanda Dionne   Caused Turnovers: 38 (1) -- Summer Fowler   Saves: 149 (3) -- Sammi Milbourn   Save Pct.: .425 (9) -- Sammi Milbourn   Goals-Against-Avg.: 14.07 (10) -- Sammi Milbourn		2017 Poll Position: 5th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 5-12/3-6 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did not qualify Head Coach: Lindsey Lutz Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None   Third Team: Abby Zorrilla (A), Annie McCorry (M), Jackie Hemler (D) Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 49 -- Abby Zorrilla   Goals: 37 -- Annie McCorry   Assists: 17 (8) -- Abby Zorrilla   Ground Balls: 54 (1) -- Annie McCorry   Draw Controls: 47 (9) -- Brittany Arndt   Caused Turnovers: 21 (7) -- Annie McCorry   Saves: 81 (9) -- Rachel Levy   Save Pct.: .458 (5) -- Rachel Levy   Goals-Against-Avg.: 10.51 (7) -- Rachel Levy
2017 Poll Position: 4th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 12-6/7-2 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #3 Seed/Eliminated in semifinals Head Coach: Bruce Reid Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: Rachel Henderson (D)   Third Team: Laura Meisner (A), Helen Boniface (D) Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 38 -- Laura Meisner   Goals: 32 -- Laura Meisner   Assists: 6 -- Laura Meisner   Ground Balls: 47 (3) -- Rachel Henderson   Draw Controls: 47 (9) -- Maddie Koontz   Caused Turnovers: 19 -- Helen Boniface/Rachel Henderson   Saves: 8 -- Chelsea Shultis   Save Pct.: .421 -- Chelsea Shultis   Goals-Against-Avg.: 6.39 -- Chelsea Shultis		2017 Poll Position: 10th 2016 Records - Overall: 1-7 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did not compete in the ODAC in 2016 Head Coach: Meredith Newman Returning Statistical Leaders   Points: 3 -- Elizabeth Phaup   Goals: 3 -- Elizabeth Phaup   Assists: None   Ground Balls: 9 -- Elizabeth Phaup   Draw Controls: 3 -- Elizabeth Phaup   Caused Turnovers: 4 -- Kiley Jolicoeur/Elizabeth Phaup   Saves: None   Save Pct.: None   Goals-Against-Avg.: None
2017 Poll Position: 9th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 2-15/1-8 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did not qualify Head Coach: Alexis Waggoner Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: None   Second Team: None   Third Team: Nicole Dorton (A) Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 20 -- Nicole Dorton/Chelsea Marciniak   Goals: 19 -- Chelsea Marciniak   Assists: 3 -- Dana Cavallo   Ground Balls: 21 -- Erin Campbell   Draw Controls: 68 (3) -- Nicole Dorton   Caused Turnovers: 18 -- Chelsea Marciniak   Saves: 35 -- Anna Belliveau   Save Pct.: .236 -- Anna Belliveau   Goals-Against-Avg.: 15.64 -- Anna Belliveau		2017 Poll Position: 8th 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 4-13/2-7 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: Did not qualify Head Coach: Meagan DiCave Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Megan Schallock (M)   Second Team: None   Third Team: None Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 76 (3) -- Megan Schallock   Goals: 61 (2) -- Megan Schallock   Assists: 15 (9) -- Megan Schallock   Ground Balls: 40 -- Megan Schallock   Draw Controls: 125 (1) -- Megan Schallock   Caused Turnovers: 32 (4) -- Megan Schallock   Saves: None   Save Pct.: None   Goals-Against-Avg.: None
2017 Poll Position: 2nd 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 12-6/8-1 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #2 Seed/Runner-up Head Coach: MK Geratowski Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Alex Lightfoot (A), Alicia Hsieh (M),    Second Team: Susie Snee (M)   Third Team: None Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 83 (2) -- Alicia Hsieh   Goals: 74 (1) -- Alicia Hsieh   Assists: 59 (1) -- Alex Lightfoot   Ground Balls: 42 (9) -- Susie Snee   Draw Controls: 73 (2) -- Susie Snee   Caused Turnovers: 15 -- Susie Snee   Saves: 138 (4) -- Allie Walker   Save Pct.: .447 (6) -- Allie Walker   Goals-Against-Avg.: 9.50 (3) -- Allie Walker		2017 Poll Position: 1st 2016 Records - Overall/ODAC: 13-6/9-0 2016 Tournament - Seed/Result: #1 Seed/ODAC Champion Head Coach: Brooke O'Brien Returning All-ODAC Players   First Team: Haley Tucker (M-ROY), Parker Hamill (D)   Second Team: None   Third Team: None Returning Statistical Leaders -- (#) denotes ODAC top-10   Points: 35 -- Jess Castelo   Goals: 34 -- Jess Castelo   Assists: 8 -- Sara Holland   Ground Balls: 28 -- Parker Hamill   Draw Controls: 49 (8) -- Haley Tucker   Caused Turnovers: 19 -- Parker Hamill/Lexi Sortisio   Saves: 74 -- Ellie Aburn   Save Pct.: .477 (3) -- Ellie Aburn   Goals-Against-Avg.: 7.05 (1) -- Hannah Wiltshire